The 10 Tastings of Agra (private local host)

The 10 Tastings of Agra is a private food experience listed on the WithLocals platform, a marketplace that connects visitors with local hosts in cities around the world. The tour is led by a local Agra host rather than a large tour company, and is bookable through withlocals.com. It explores the old city and the Sadar area of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, India, areas where the city's traditional snack and sweet shops cluster, and is aimed at visitors who want to taste local specialities beyond the Taj Mahal circuit.

The format is built around ten tastings spread across at least three separate spots. Bedai and jalebi are highlighted in the listing: bedai is a deep-fried bread filled with spiced lentils and typically eaten at breakfast with a tangy potato curry, while jalebi is a coiled, syrup-soaked sweet fried until crisp. Other stops on an Agra street food route commonly include chaat and petha, the translucent ash-gourd confection for which the city is known, giving a balance of savoury and sweet that suits a morning or afternoon outing. The exact dishes and venues are arranged with the host.

The duration is approximately three to four hours, a moderate pace that allows time to eat, talk about the dishes and walk between stops. The listing includes the host and the ten food and drink tastings; transport between spots, additional purchases and any food beyond the ten tastings should be treated as extra unless the booking states otherwise. Because the experience is private, the group consists only of the party that books, and the host can adapt the pace to the group.

The meeting point is agreed with the host after booking rather than fixed in advance. Prices vary with group size and are shown on withlocals.com at the time of booking, so the cost per person generally falls as more people share the experience. Dietary preferences, including vegetarian eating, are best raised when messaging the host, as most traditional Agra snacks are vegetarian but are cooked in shared oils and often contain dairy or nuts. The best season is October to March, when cooler weather makes walking the lanes comfortable.